6th annual GLAMS Conference a success

South Arkansas Community College (SouthArk) and the El Dorado Education Foundation (EDEF) recently hosted the sixth annual GLAMS Conference, bringing in speakers from across the states of Arkansas and Louisiana, as well as those with roots in five countries — Nigeria, Czech Republic, Mexico, Brazil and Australia. GLAMS is designed to encourage eighth-grade girls to take challenging STEM courses in high school which will lead to college and careers in math, science, technology and engineering, by introducing them to women who have successful careers in those fields.

There were 250 students who attended this year’s GLAMS Conference, from six south Arkansas counties and Little Rock. We are so appreciative of all of the local business and community leaders who allowed their employees to spend the day with us — as volunteers, team leaders, presenters and afternoon team challenge engineers.

Thanks go to all the wonderful volunteers who worked on Tuesday night helping to stuff bags and with set up: Christy Wilson and her Camp Fire Group No. 22, Allison Parker, Chester Shutes, Emme Rahaim, Eli Rahaim, Jerri Lynn Nokes, Tristal Thrower and Dianne Tully.

Our student, speaker and team leader checkins were staffed by: Jean Reynolds, Jean Hadley, LaQuita Rainey, Linda Lephiew, Vernita Morgan, Veronica Creer, Lauren Tyson, Angela Lopez, Kristi Rainwater, Vanessa Williams, Jerri Lynn Nokes, Brittany Broach, Joyce Bennett, Rachel Waller, Katie Sandifer, Shelley Landes, Alice Mahony and Carolyn Smith.

Vol-unteers who served as GLAMS team leaders included Vanessa Williams — Team Aeronautics; Toyce Newton an d Herman Newton —Te a m Animal Science; Alexis Alexander — Team Architecture; Amy Hix — Team Astronomy; Brittany Clark — Team Bacteriology; Carol McLemore — Team Botany; Lt. Col. Shannon Saucy — Team Cell Biology; Denise Brown — Team Computer Science; Heather McVay — Team Dentistry; Jenny Smart and Tangie Charles — Team Earth Science; Danielle Clark — Team Electrical Engineering; Jesse Fox and Tina Ford — Team Entomology; Jill Weinischke — Team Environmental Science; Joyce Bennett — Team Genetics; Kaitlyn Kelley — Team Geology; Kristen Roblee — Team Geometry; Leigh Ann Robinson – Team Health; Lillie Revels — Team Hematology; Lora Jones — Team Hydrology; Joan Pierce — Team Ichthyology; Nadene Morris — Team Mathematics; Krya Dismuke and Pamela Ward — Team Mechanical Engineering; Rachael Waller — Team Meteorology; Shaneil Yarbrough — Team Microbiology; Stephanie Ford — Team Nanotechnology; Susan Smith — Team Oceanography; Carolyn Norman and Whittney Cook — Team Optics; Mildred Lark and Jamaya Lark — Team Paleontology; Frankie Andrews and Elicia English — Team Pharmacology; Hannah Griffis and Tionna Baker – Team Physics; Jill Temple — Team Robotics; Leanne Harrell and Wildflower Pope — Team Volcanology; Deb Crawford and Stacy Traux — Team Wildlife.

Volunteers who worked with us on Tuesday included Janet Beane, Grecia Chavez, Jasmine Ray, Angela Lopez, Laine Burson, Lora Jones, Lauren Tyson, Tonya Arnold, Tiara Amanda Brumley, Amy Hix, Carlitha Water, Janeen Watkins, Jesse Fox, Ashley Dougan, Lauren Tyson and Laine Burson.

GLAMS hosted many talented break-out presenters this year, including five with international ties: Clara Vidio, chemical engineer at El Dorado Chemical (a native of Belo Horizonte, Brazil); Dr. Gijia Geme, director of the Natural Resource Research Center and chemistry professor at Southern Arkansas University (a native of Australia); Denisse Ibarra Gonzalez, software manager and mechanical engineer at El Dorado Chemical (a native of Mexico); Dr. Lucie Loukotkova, researcher at the U.S. Food and Drug National Center for Toxicological Research (born in Ostrava, Czech Republic); and Dr. Alero T. Nanna, board certified general surgeon in El Dorado (a native of Nigeria).

More great speakers were: Rachel Arnold, accountant at Murphy Oil, USA; Vicki Badgley, computer technology/coding, SouthArk; Sara Blazek, Louisiana Tech graduate student focusing on statistics and education; Mandy Breckenridge, architect at Polk, Stanley Wilcox in Little Rock (designed the El Dorado Conference Center); Dr. Sandra Brown, nurse executive at Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System; Dr. Mary Caldorea-Moore, assistant professor of biomedical engineering and nanosystems engneering at Louisiana Tech University; Kelly F. Cook, ultrasound technologist, Quality Imaging Services of El Dorado; Sandra Chandler, geologist, Arkansas Geological Survey; Dr. Krystal Corbett, development of curricula for the Cyber Innovation Center, Louisiana Tech University; Dr. Kristi Elia, dentist; Dr. Katie Evans, director of Mathematics, Statistics, Industrial Engineering, Louisiana Tech University; Dr. Nysia George, mathematical statistician at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s National Center for Toxicological Research; Linda Goodner, regional education coordinator at the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission; Dr. Kimberly Havard, advanced practice nurse at the El Dorado Veterans Affairs Community Based Outpatient Clinic; Pat Hemphill, deputy district engineer for the Planning, Programs and Project Management Division of the Vicksburg District U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; Dr. Rachel Helm Jerry, veterinarian, U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal Plant Health Inspection; Vicki Johnican, accountant, Murphy Oil, USA; Lindsey Keith-Vincent, director of Outreach and External Funding, and director of the Science and Technology Education

College of Education, Louisiana Tech University; Shannon Lausch, multimedia archivist at the University of Arkansas – Little Rock Center for Arkansas History and Culture; Cristy Martin, director of student success at the College of Engineering and Science at Louisiana Tech University; Debbie McAdams, clinical laboratory scientist and administrator at the El Dorado School-Based Health Center; Dennis Cooper, pre-health recruiter/educational coordinator for the University of Arkansas Medical Sciences – South; and Rhonda McDonald, nurse at the Arkansas Department of Health South.

More fabulous presenters were: Brandy Mendoza, Surgical Technology instructor at South Arkansas Community College; Dr. Jamie Newman, assistant professor of Biological Sciences, Louisiana Tech University Dr. Suzanne Parker, veterinarian at Goodwin Animal Clinic in El Dorado; Dr. Denise Robledo, Rangeland Ecology and Management and director of Distance Learning at SouthArk; Adriane Rogers, environmental manager at Great Lakes Solutions; Laura Rogers, regional education coordinator for the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission; Demi Sandel, senior biological sciences major at Louisiana Tech University; Amanda Reagor Sutherland, senior director of Fuels Risk Management at Murphy U.S.A.; Danna Wagnon Taylor, administrator for the Union County Local Health Unit; Roslyn Turner, instructor of Computer Information Technology, SouthArk, El Dorado; Shelbi Vanpelt, nurse practitioner at South Point Dermatology in El Dorado; Dr. Jennifer Thomas (Holland), Physical Therapist, North Little Rock Veterans Administration; Celeste Tortorich, admissions specialist College of Engineering, Louisiana Tech University; Lashonda Traylor, nurse at South Arkansas Family Care Center; Clara Vido, engineer at El Dorado Chemical; Genevieve White, assistant professor of nursing, SouthArk, El Dorado; Juanita Norful, simulation lab/nursing clinical coordinator, SouthArk, El Dorado; Dr. Jennifer Thomas, physical therapist, SouthArk, El Dorado; Amanda Wilkinson, visitor services specialist for the South Arkansas Refuges Complex, U.S. Fish and Wildlife; Anna “Katie” Whitehead, master’s degree student in molecular sciences and nanotechnology at Louisiana Tech University; Kellye Young, director of the Surgical Technology Program at SouthArk, El Dorado; and Liz Young, director of the Arkansas Women’s Business Center, El Dorado.

The GLAMS noon presenter was Carolyn Smith, Panda Power Science Chair, El Dorado Public Schools. GLAMS also included area local engineers and industry leaders as group advisors and lunch sructure challenges. A big thanks go to Walter Owen, Ryan Regan, Maxson Stewart, and Denise Matthews of El Dorado Chemical; Dominick Marino of Tetra Technologies; Christy Gunter and Teresa Evans from Clean Harbors; and Liz Slater from Chemtura.

We would also like to acknowledge our observers – from the University of Arkansas Department of Million Women in Science, Cynthia Sides; and Trent Garner, from Senator Tom Cotton’s Office.

The GLAMS Conference was made possible by the support of: The El Dorado Education Foundation, South Arkansas Community College, the Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce, “Be Pro, Be Proud,” Phoenix Youth and Family Services, El Dorado Public Schools, The Union County Community Foundation, SHARE Foundation, The El Dorado Chamber of Commerce, El Dorado Chemical Co., Melvin’s Discount Pharmacy, El Dorado Rotary Club, El Dorado Kiwanis Club, United Way of Union County, City of El Dorado, El Dorado NewsTimes, First Financial Bank, Murphy Oil Corp., Murphy USA, Barkingham Acres, Dr. Kristi Elia, Sylvia White, El Dorado High School, Jim and Lila Phillips, Deltic Timber, Alice Mahony, Camp Fire USA, El Dorado Printing, Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, Arkansas Welcome Center, Lucy’s Ladies Dance Studio, Pride Youth Services and the Touch Coalition, Lawrence and Paul Waschka, Eli Rahaim, Emme Rahaim, and the SouthArk Ambassadors.

A big thank you for the support of this program also goes to the superintendents who allowed students to attend this academic conference and provided transportation for them, and the school bus drivers who also spent the day with us.

Most importantly, thank you to our GLAMS committee who believe in the power of education and project based learning and worked to provide this conference experience for our eight-grade girls: Dr. Stephanie TullesDartez and Alice Mahony, co-chairs; Veronica Creer, Janice McIntyre, Christy Wilson, Shelley Landes, Toyce Newton, Katie Sandifer, Jerri Lynn Nokes, Vee Ann Poole, Charley Hankins, Vernita Morgan, Laura Rogers, Sylvia Thompson, Carolyn Smith, Heath Waldrop, Bonnie Haynie, Ashley Dougan, Lila Phillips, Christy Gunter and Linda Lephiew.

Alice Mahony of El Dorado is the GLAMS co-chair.